a tall ship and a star
by Astralis
Summary: It's Sam's last night on Earth before leaving for another mission on the General Hammond. Sam/Jack, post-canon.


_I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,_

_And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by_

- John Masefield, _Sea-Fever_

* * *

Sam is leaving in the morning. At the moment, though, she's curled up on a couch in Minnesota with Jack's arms warm around her and the snow falling outside. Four weeks leave; Colorado, Washington and Minnesota, and this is what it all comes down to in the end.

"You know," Jack says, "five months is a long time."

"I know."

All over the US Sam's crew are doing the same thing: saying goodbye. The thought doesn't make it any easier, and she's one of the only ones who doesn't have to lie to the people she loves most about where she's going or what she's doing. She looks sideways, at Jack's face close beside hers, and then into the flickering, dancing fire. Suddenly, five months is a _really_ long time.

"You know, I'm almost jealous," Jack murmurs against her ear.

"Of what, exactly?"

He shrugs, and tightens his arms around her for a second. "Oh, you know. Action, adventure..."

"We're a delivery service," Sam says, biting back an automatic _sir_. In the spirit of the interplanetary co-operation and galaxy wide rebuilding the SGC is trying to foster (and goodness knows there's a hundred different political reasons behind that, all ending in _shiny things for Earth_) they're transporting natural resources and equipment between four different worlds. It needs doing and it's even important, but it's not quite the challenge she'd like.

"A delivery service... in _space_. With adventure."

Sam grins, more at the tone of his voice than his words. "Well, maybe some of that."

The howling wind outside shakes the chimney, and a log in the fire slips and crackles sending up a bright, beautiful flame. Sam fixes her gaze on the fire for a moment, studying the movement of it. She might not be a fan of Minnesota winters, but there are some things she'll miss while she's travelling the galaxy on her perfectly air-conditioned ship.

"You go at 0730, right?"

"Right."

"So no sleeping in."

"Not really, no."

"In that case -" The pitch of Jack's voice changes suddenly; he coughs, and begins again. "In that case, I have something for you." He disengages one hand, dips it into a pocket, and holds it out in front of her. Something gleams and glints in the light of the fire. "If you want it."

She's warm, and comfortable, and somewhat on the sleepy side, so that might be why it takes a moment or two for her to figure out what's happening. As marriage proposals go it's lacking a certain something, but it's so very Jack that when her brain catches up Sam finds herself giddy and smiling from ear to ear because yeah, she _does_ want it. "Okay."

"Yes?"

"Yes."

"Okay then. Here you go." Jack slides the ring carefully onto her finger, and then holds her hand in his. "Suits you."

"I wasn't really expecting this," she says, squeezing his hand, finally capable of putting a sentence together. Jack has always been good at surprises.

"Well, I figured now was as good a time as any. What with you going away _for five months_ and everything."

Sam meets his eye, and then doesn't know which of them laughs first. There's something ridiculous about this situation, and something incredibly right. She's been engaged twice and Jack's been married once and she'd always figured, with their baggage and their lives, that the rings and the piece of paper didn't matter.

Judging by how suddenly and overwhelmingly _happy_ she is, she might have been wrong about that. "I love you."

Jack's hand brushes her cheek as he pushes a few rebellious strands of hair back behind her ear. "I know." And then, with a grin, "Right back at ya. You know. Hence the ring."

Five months might feel like forever this time around. Sam hugs him tight, and kisses him, and says "Let's go to bed."

* * *

"What's the time?"

Sam checks her watch. "Ten minutes."

"Well then. Come here," Jack says, smiling slightly, his head tipped to one side as he looks at her. Sam steps forward into his embrace, holds on tight, and breathes.

This is the way they say goodbye.

Jack rubs circles on her lower back and presses his nose against her head and says "I didn't imagine it, did I? You did agree to marry me, right?"

"Not that you actually asked me to, but yes. I did."

"Good. Just checking."

"Tell the others," Sam says. She should tell her brother, but these things are complicated and even more so when she's about to literally disappear off the face of the planet. She'll call him when she gets back, and maybe by then she'll have figured out how to suppress Vala at the wedding in the interests of planetary security.

"Teal'c likes weddings. Weddings have cake."

"Cake is awesome, but please tell me you're not envisioning a big fancy ceremony and a big white dress."

"I don't know, I think I'd look good in a dress."

Sam laughs, and can't resist the urge to kiss him

"Fifteen or twenty years ago, maybe," Jack says, his voice softer now. "Just to watch you walk down the aisle in a big white dress."

Back then they were impossibly young and had less nightmares than they do now, but Sam still wouldn't have gone for the big white dress with train and veil thing. "Don't forget to call Cassie," she says at random, just to clear that mental image out of her head. Jack doesn't exactly need reminding to call Cassie, but Sam suddenly finds herself wishing she'd had the time to deliver this particular news herself. "Ask her if she'll be bridesmaid."

The alarm on her watch beeps. Three minutes till beam time.

Jack tenses and breathes in, deeply. "Don't go getting yourself damaged out there."

"Is that an order?" Sam asks, and then wishes she hadn't.

But Jack's in the mood for jokes, or at least to pretend that the whole saying goodbye thing was easy as pie. "Direct from the Head of Homeworld Security."

"I thought you were retiring."

"I am. One of these days. See, there's this hot blonde I know in Colorado Springs – well, _sometimes_ she's in Colorado Springs – and you know, Colorado, Washington, not exactly close."

Sam hugs him tighter. "It's always about hot blondes with you."

"Mmm. Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't get damaged."

"I won't." It's a promise she can't make, and both of them know it. This is one of the most boring missions anyone could imagine, and in the world they live in even those can go to hell in a heartbeat. They've both learned not to take anything for granted. "I'll miss you," she says. That promise she knows she can keep.

"Me too."

The radio in her pocket, turned on this morning for just this moment, crackles to life. "Colonel Carter, are you ready to beam?"

She has to let go of Jack with one hand to answer, and discovers the need to swallow hard and focus before she speaks. "This is Carter, stand by."

"Love you," Jack says, as soon as she's stopped transmitting.

"Yeah. I love you too." She lets her gaze roam over his face, memorising it as though she doesn't have a dozen photos of him stashed away in her quarters.

One last kiss. "See you on the flip side," she says, her voice as light as she can make it.

"Have fun out there."

Sam nods, and holds down the transmit button. "This is Colonel Carter. Ready to beam."

The last thing she sees, as her world becomes bright white light, is Jack's face.

* * *

Sam stands on the bridge of her ship, and looks down at Earth. They're in geosynchronous orbit over the United States; down there is Colorado Springs and the SGC, Minnesota, and Jack making his way back to Washington.

They're already so far away.

"Engineering reports green across the board, Colonel."

"Thank you, Major." Sam turns her back to the window and surveys the bridge. "Have all departments checked in?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Let's get this show on the road, then. Major Lewis, start sublight engines when ready and stand by to start hyperdrive engines on my mark."

"Yes ma'am. Starting sublight engines now."

A brief hum reverberates through the ship as the engines kick into gear. Sam toggles a button on her headset. "Flight control, this is General Hammond. We are breaking orbit and heading for hyperspace."

"Roger that, Hammond. Godspeed and good luck."

"Thank you, flight control." Another switch, this time to intercom. "All hands, this is Colonel Carter. Stand by for hyperspace."

They all keep coming back to this. The stars, the planets, the rush of hyperspace. Sam has traipsed about this galaxy for well over a decade, from planet to moon and home again, from Chulak to the Land of the Light to the world with the naked plant people. These are her stomping grounds. She's leaving a lot behind but there's a lot out there for her, and she couldn't give up any of what she has.

She takes her place in the captain's chair, surveying the galaxy stretching out before them as Earth slips away behind. "Take us into hyperspace, Major Lewis."

"Yes Colonel. Bringing hyperdrive engines online."

Jack's ring is safe in the inside pocket of her jacket. Tonight, alone in her quarters, she'll pull it out, hold it in her hand, slide it onto her finger, and consider the fact that five months is a _really freaking long time._

But for now – now – a hyperspace window is forming ahead of them, and the galaxy is hers.


End file.
